Abstract

MPI-ESM (MPG) is a comprehensive Earth-System Model, in the sense that it consists of component models for the ocean, the atmosphere and the land surface. These components are coupled through the exchange of energy, momentum, water and important trace gases such as carbon dioxide. The model is developed by the MPI for Meteorology (MPI-M) and based on its predecessors, the ECHAM5/MPIOM coupled model and its COSMOS versions. ECHAM5/MPIOM was used for the simulations contributing to third phase of the coupled model intercomparison project (CMIP3), and for the MPI-M Millenium project. MPI-ESM1 consists of general circulation models for the atmosphere (ECHAM6), the ocean and sea ice (MPIOM) - coupled by OASIS3 -, the land surface model JSBACH, and optionally includes dynamical land vegetation (DYNVEG), and marine biogeochemistry (HAMOCC). MPI-ESM1 was used as the basis for MPI-M's contribution to CMIP5 and is now used at about 45 institutions world-wide. A model version coupled to an aerosol and chemistry module (HAMMOZ) is developed jointly with partners in ENES.